Bunheads: Jeanine Mason and Niko Pepaj Join the Cast

So You Think You Can Dance season five champion Jeanine Mason and newcomer Niko Pepaj have signed on for recurring parts as siblings new in town on Bunheads, the ABC Family ballet dramedy. There’s no word yet on exactly how much we’ll get to see either of them or if they’ll be joining the academy, but TVLine reported in September that the show was looking to cast a pair of siblings: Maggie, an “indie Winona Ryder” type and Jack, her individualist brother. The pair reportedly enjoy spending time together, with The Hollywood Reporter describes them as “a well-traveled, educated and artistic duo.”

From the sound of it, they’d fit right in with the four main bunheads, each of whom is extremely cultured for being in a small town and could probably use other like-minded people in order to make it through their formative years. With Michelle quitting the academy in the summer finale, the only way Boo, Melanie, Ginny, and Sasha will be able to handle an all-Fanny diet will be as a group and right now, the more, the merrier.

In addition to her run to the title on the FOX dance competition, Mason has appeared on the likes of Big Time Rush, Hollywood Heights, and The Fresh Beat Band, while Pepaj might be best known for his role in My Super Psycho Sweet 16: Part 3, a 2011 MTV TV movie. Also set to stop by the Amy Sherman-Palladino creation is Gilmore Girls alum Liza Weil, who will play Truly’s sister Milly.

Bunheads will have its winter premiere on Monday, January 7th at 9:00 on ABC Family. You can check out a review of the summer finale here, as well as the TVOvermind Bunheads discussion forum here.

How do you feel about Bunheads adding to the cast? Do you think that Maggie and Jack will fit into the world of Paradise? Are there any other So You Think You Can Dance winners that you would like to see on Bunheads?